Page 49 of His Surrogate Omega

Wilder seemed to notice the look of horror on their papa’s face and quickly added a caveat. “At least not just now. I’ve got a lot to learn in the coming weeks thanks to that promotion. Father entrusted me, and I want to do the job well.”

“Of course you’re going to do it well,” their father said from the other end of the table.

Jamie glanced down the table. His father’s hair was nearly black opposed to his papa’s blond, except for the thin layer of white over each ear. Warden Jaymes cut through his last bit of roast before looking up. He pointed the stabbed meat at Wilder. “I wouldn’t have promoted you if I didn’t think you had it in you. You’ve proven yourself time and time again.” Father turned to look at Rohan. “Hasn’t he?”

As the head of Jaymes & Associates Legal Department, Rohan was privy to much that went on inside the building. “From what I’ve seen and heard, he’s averyhard worker.”

Father popped the fork into his mouth and grinned as he chewed.

“He pays you to say things like that,” Vaughn said to Rohan. “So you’re biased.”

Rohan forced a smile, glancing at Jamie from the corner of his eye. “I’ve always spoke my mind—even if it isn’t what your father wants to hear.”

“You’d get farther if you kissed his ass,” Jamie’s youngest brother said with a grin.

“Stop it, Vaughn,” Jamie insisted before taking another bite.

“I have no doubts I can do the job,” Wilder said. “I just want time to devote to learning my new responsibilities before I worry about searching for an omega. That’s all I meant.”

“Excuses, excuses,” their papa said. “Last time, you had too much work preparing for the promotion. The time before that, you were feeling under the weather. The time before that? I think I’ve forgotten the lies you told me.”

“Wynter, he still has time,” father said.

“He’s over thirty and unmated,” his papa argued. “Don’t you want to see another generation of Jaymeses on the way?”

Jamie tensed. His papa knew they were seeking a surrogate—that the next generation would be coming sooner than later, if he had his say.

Wilder sighed. “I’mnot ready to see that. At least not from me.” His brother turned and offered him a wink.

Papa shot him a wounded look.

“If you keep pressuring him, Wilder’s never going to go,” his father said before popping a last piece of meat in his mouth before a servant cleared his plate.

Wilder rolled his eyes and looked to Vaughn, smiling. “I’m sure my little brother is ready to hit a ball. He hasn’t been in forever, either.”

Vaughn met Wilder’s stare and narrowed his eyes, shooting venom across the table. Jamie stared between the two, trying not to smile.

“Do you know how it would look for Vaughn to mate beforeyou? To have children before you even found your omega?” Papa asked. He threw up his hands in aggravation. “I don’t even want to imagine it.”

“Oh, gee, papa…” Vaughn said, tilting his head to the left. “Once again put my brother first. Please.”

“You know I don’t mean it like that, Vaughn. It’s just… your brother should’ve been mated by now. People will talk if he doesn’t find his match soon… and they’d talk even more if you found one first.”

“Let them talk,” Wilder said. “I really don’t care. If Vaughn wants an omega in his life, let him go seek one out. What does it matter who comes first?”

“For the record, I don’t,” Vaughn added. “I’m quite happy with my life the way it is, not that anyone cares.”

“I wasn’t much older than Wilder was when I met you,” his father said across the table. “And we worked out just fine. It’ll come when it comes.”

“I don’t want to be a grandfather at seventy,” papa spat at Wilder. “I want to be a grandfather when I’m still young enough to dote on your pups. I haven’t held a babe in too long.”

“You’re nowhere close to seventy,” Wilder said. “You only turned fifty a few years ago.”

“I’m not a day over forty-nine,” his papa sighed. “Thank you.”

“If you have kids, I’ll fade into nothing,” Vaughn said. “E-vap-or-ate. I won’t exist anymore.”

“Oh, stop being so dramatic,” papa said to Vaughn. “You’re so needy.”

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